Oil-burning tobacco curer



July 19, 1949. F. M. CHILTON 2,476,834

OIL BURNING TOBACCO CURER Filed Nov. 21, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet l m ll/22.

16 4' l2 I? /a In z'elltor Floyd M. Chi/Ion 64 I A Em July 19, 1949. cH L o 2,476,834

OIL BURNING TOBACCO CURER Filed Nov. 21, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.2.

1 44 I F 64 7 36 38km wa 58 L IIMI I l WI u' l "L I m'mior Floyd M. Chi/Ion Patented July 19, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE OIL-BURNING TOBACCO CURER Floyd M. Chilton, Sanford, N. 0.

Application November 21, 1947, Serial No. 787,346 Claims. (01. 125-94) This invention comprises novel and useful improvements in an oil burning tobacco curer and more specifically pertains to an improved construction of oil burner for use in such a heating system.

The principal object of this invention resides in providing an improved means for furnishing heated air for curing tobacco; and more specifically resides in a novel and advantageous construction of improved oil burner for use therein.

A prime feature of the invention resides in the provision of an oil burner unit, having an improved vaporizing unit mounted therein; in conjunction with an improved baflle means overlying the vaporizer; combined with novel air passage means through the baifie means for effectively mixing with the fuel jets from the vaporizer; and further accompanied by novel oil drainage means, vaporizer mounting means and further details of construction.

A final important feature of the invention to be specifically enumerated herein, resides in the provision of a burner unit which shall comprise a combined burner and vaporizer, which shall be of lightweight construction, simple and economical to manufacture, easy to install, and yet dependable and economical in its use.

These, together with various ancillary objects of the invention which will later become apparent as the following description proceeds, are attained by this device, a preferred embodiment of which has been illustrated, by Way of example only in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is an elevational view, through an air stove whose front end has been removed to permit inspection of the interior thereof, such as is particularly adapted for use in supplying heated air f or curing tobacco and the like;

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view through one of the burner units of the heating device, and taken substantially upon the vertical plane of the section line 2--2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a further enlarged detail view through a portion of the Vaporizer unit of the device, taken substantially upon the vertical transverse plane of the section line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a side elevational view of the burner unit, taken from the left of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a front elevational view, upon an enlarged scale, of the novel vaporizing unit of the invention;

Figure 6 is a top perspective View of the vaporizer shown in Figure 5; and,

Figure 7 is a horizontal sectional detail view taken substantially upon the plane of the broken section line l! of Figure 2 and illustrating the arrangement of the air bafiie and vaporizer and burner means in accordance with this invention.

Referring now more specifically to the accompanying drawings, wherein like numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views, attention is directed first to Figure 1, wherein the numeral l0 indicates a portion of the enclosing casing or housing of an air heating device, and associated with which is a fuel supply tank or reservoir [2, suitably connected as by a conduit [4 with each of a pair of burner units indicated generally at It. Although but two burner units have been shown in the embodiment of Figure 1, it will be understood that the principles of the invention are applicable to any number of burner units which it is desired to operate.

The burner units are mounted in what may be called a parallel arrangement, each unit having individual air inlet conduits I8 extending from the exterior of the casing in, and being provided with a combustion product discharge conduit 20, extending from the discharge end of the burner unit, and then being joined as at 22 to merge into a common combustion product discharge pipe 24 or stack extending exteriorly of the casing in and through the roof of a barn (not shown) to create a draft through the burner units.

As shown best in Figure 2, each of the burner units l6 are attached as by support means 26 to a supporting surface 28 which may be a part of or carried by a portion of the casing II], as desired.

The burner unit preferably comprises a cylindrical conduit section or open-ended casing 30 whose inlet and discharge ends are externally tapered as at 32 and 34 respectively to provide a sliding fit with the interior surfaces of the inlet and discharge conduits l8 and 20 between which the burner unit is mounted.

Intermediate its ends, the casing 30 is provided with an annular flange 36 for the purpose of mounting an annular disk-like baflie 38 as by fastening screws 40.

Likewise disposed in the wall of the casing 30 and on the air inlet side of the flange 36, is an inspection opening having a closure or manhole 44, for obtaining access to the casing for inspecting or servicing the parts therein.

Slightly spaced from the bafile 38 and posttioned within the discharge portion of the casing 30, is a raised pad constituting a support, indicated at 4B. This pad is provided with a flange or projection 48, rigidly or integrally attached thereto, for receiving a fastening bolt or stud 50 for a purpose to be later set forth.

Opposite the supporting pad 46, the casing 31! is provided with an aperture 52 through which extends the inlet end of a vaporizing unit consisting of a block 54 which as shown best in Figures 3, 5 and 6, constitutes a base, and which is provided with a longitudinally extending portion 56 which may be of any suitable cross-section, such as round, square, rectangular or the like. As seen clearly in Figures 3 and '7, the block 54 is spaced from the wall of the casing 30 to longitudinally through the portion; 56-,-; is.; a bore;

58 whichiis open at each -end of the b'odys'54; the inner end being closed by a removable plug 60,

while its outer end receives a fuel supply coneduit 62, connected with the above, mentioned conduit 14.

As indicated best in Figure 2, the base 54x18,

disposed at its bottom surface transversely to the cylindrical casing 30, while the-axis of t-hebore' 58 is disposed in its inclined position relative to the bottom surface, and extends upwardly from itsfuel inlet end at 6.2,tojitsclosed end fill, Inthe. embodiment shown, inl igure' 1,. the] elevation of the, fuel supply l2 is preferably" greater than that of the vaporizer unit 54, a suitable, float means (not shown) in the fuelicontainer'being provided to assure, the maintenance of a" desired head. upon the fuel, supplied to the vaporizer; The vaporizer unit thusrests or seats upon the supporting head 46; and, has its inlet'lendf. ex? tending through the aperture 5.2, and is retained in this position as by the bolt 50 passing through the supporting. flange 48' and engaging into the flanged face 54' of the vaporizer.

As shown more clearly in Figures3, 5 and'7,'the upper surface of the portion 5B-is provided with a. plurality of rows of radially disposed fuel discharge ports 64, two such rows being shown in the embodiment depicted. These discharge ports preferably open in the, direction of the air inlet, I8, whereby the vaporized fuel emitted by the Further, the flames of the burning mixture of vaporized fuel from the ports 64 and the incomingsainfrom the inlet l8; aredirected against the lower surface of'the baffle. 38', and; thence turned backwardly towards the discharge end 20 of the device. This bafiling efiect thus serves to further intensify the flames played upon the vaporizer 54; thereby augmenting the efliciency of the same.

From the foregoing, the principles of operation of the invention will be readily understood and bores 64 will take the direction indicated'by. the

arrows in Figure 3, being ejected against. the flow of the. air inlet from, the. inlet end [8, in order to insure a better mixing of. the flowing air stream and the vaporizedfuel; Any suitable. ignition, means may be provided for initiating combustion of the mixture of'vaporized fuel andv air, such means being of conventional design and not illustrated in this embodiment. Obviously, if desired, the ignition. may be initiated by removing the opening 4 1, and inserting there-. through any suitable flame or igniter.

The device as so .far described, operates as fol lows. Liquid fuel is supplied by means of the conduit 62 into the internal bore 58 of the vapor i zer unit, and ignited by any suitable combustion initiating means; The burning. fuel isthen carried by the incoming air across the vaporizer unit 54, thereby highly heating the same and assisting in further vaporizing fuel-delivered to the bore thereof. The combustion products are discharged from the end 20 of the device, for. the purpose previously mentioned.

In accordance with the principles of this in-' vention, the bafiie means provided very greatly enhances the efficiency of the device. This bafll'e 38. preferably comprising a disk of circular shape conforming generally in size and, shape to the internal dimensions of the casing 30, is 7 provided with a generally rectangular air passage66 extending therethrough as 1 shown in Eigure 7 and coincides inwidth with the diameter of the tubular portion 56,of1 the vaporizer 54.. This. air passage. is positionedv in alignthe portion 56; and isspaced slightly on the air inlet side of the vaporizer. This apertureserves the purpose of, directingthe incoming air stream from the inlet l8, directly upon the vaporized fuel discharge port. 64 for producing a,turl'aulence increasing the efliciency of themixture of the gas and air.

' mentwith but overlying the longitudinal axis of further explanation is believed to be unnecessary. Since numerous modifications will readily occur tothose Skilled in the art. after a considerationof the foregoing specification and annexed drawings, it is not intended to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and. described, but all suitable'modifications and equivalents may be pendedjclaims; I

Having described the invention asn'ewis: V p

1'. An oil burner construction including a vertical burner casing having a combustion chamber therein; an air inlet at one end: and a combustion product outlet at the other end of'said casing, a vaporizer disposed transversely of, said casing between'said' inlet and out.-

what is'claimed let, said Vaporizer comprising a body having; a

longitudinal bore therein said bore, being closed at one end and having a fuel inlet at the other end; said bore being upwardly inclined from said fuel inlet to itscl'os'ed end; said'bore being provide ed witha plurality of fuel discharge ports opening radially outwardlyoi said bore in the direction off said air. inlet, a bafile secured in said combustion chamber on the air inlet side of said vaporizer, andsa'idbaiile being provided with an:

airpassage extending therethrough. V

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said casing has asupport pad on one wall'thereof, a

mounting flange on said pad; said vaporizer body being seated on said pad and secured to said flange.

3., The combinationof. claim '2 wherein the fuel inlet end of said v body extends exteriorly of the Wallof said casing. 4..The combination of. claim 1 wherein said baffle comprises an annular plate and the air passage provided in saidbaflle is a substantially rectangular aperturev overlying saidv body and saidfuel discharge ports.

5'. The, combination of claim 4 including an annular internal flange, being in, said casing, said bafile securedto said annular flange.

" r FLOYDQM. CHILTON.

. REFERENCES CITED: The following: references are ofrecord. in the file of this patent: P

UNITED STA ES-PATENTS 

